Tiger Wings

Chapter 8

The days passed in quiet succesion. The week was soon over and it was only a day before their departure from Cenna. Having been out of South Cenna during most of that time, Jravic decided to explore the king's palace since nothing was off limits to them. He walked the halls in silence, turning off into a room when it looked interesting to him. The libraries were of special interest. He would enter one, look around, peruse the shelves and then leave with another glance around as if to make sure no one was there.

Upon his third such entry he saw a figure seated in a chair facing toward the window, book in hand, though she wasn't reading at the moment. Jravic's footsteps were muted as he walked slowly toward her, pretending to be occupied with the study of books upon the shelves. When he arrived at the end of the room he turned toward the crown princess. "Good day."

There was no response. Her head remained erect, leaving him only to assume she was staring out the window. Jravic let his fingers run along the leather binding of a book and leaned against the wall. It wasn't exactly as if he had been looking for Claretta, but he had heard that she could frequently be found among books and in solitude.

The crown princess intrigued him and he enjoyed the times they talked or were together, however onesided it felt at times. Like now.

"It is a beautiful day," he remarked, following her gaze out the window.

A moment passed before Claretta seemed to shake herself or shiver, and she looked over her shoulder. Seeing him, she turned in her chair to face him. "I don't know what's come over me," she said apologetically. "I didn't even notice you. Were you... Were you saying something?"

Jravic laughed lightly. "Nothing very important."

Claretta pursed her lips and turned back again, closing her book. "Were you interested in reading?"

"Interested in seeing the king's collection, mostly," Jravic said as he examined the books on the other wall with his eyes.

Claretta smiled, a practice she had grown better at since their first meeting. "It's hard to imagine he could have read them all," she remarked. "I used to think, as a child, that he couldn't possibly have read even any of them. Actually, it was my secret thought he ate them with breakfast and that's how he was so smart." She laughed softly.

Jravic smiled. It was a sincere smile that reached to his eyes, something that didn't happen all the time. "My father used to tell me he ate stone for every meal and that was what made him so strong and kingly. Scared me half to death, making me think I'd have to do it someday, too."

She laughed again a little louder, looking at him a doubtfully. "Well. At least you never tried it. The consequences may have taken you from us before you ever arrived."

"It's a good thing I didn't," he agreed.

Claretta was silent a moment before glancing up again. "Did you always want to be king," she wondered quietly.

"I was raised for it as soon as I was born. It's what I've always expected," Jravic said. "Sometimes it wasn't what I wanted, but it is my duty and I do believe I'm prepared for it. My parents made sure I would be prepared for it."

"Your parents? Or your father?"

"Mostly my father," Jravic allowed. "But I'm sure my mother did things for me through her influence with my father. Things I don't know about."

Claretta looked surprised and hopeful all at once. Then, she shook her head. "My father taught me," she said. "Always. What he didn't realize was that, he taught me to be king, and I am a woman. I doubt there is room for two kings anywhere, and certainly no room here."